Whenever I see Bill Barnes walking between his house and his office at the Community Foundation I think to myself, “There goes a guy who is winning at life!” Let’s total up his score, shall we?
Dream job at a non-profit, check! Dream house in an historic and quaint downtown city, just 200 steps from his office, check! Lovely wife and family, friends, community, check, check and check! Now, to top it off, he’s discovered he has a talent for painting and it’s adding a whole new dimension to his life.
And he’s such a nice guy, you can’t even be jealous. You can’t help but be happy for him! (Well, I’m a little jealous of his short-walk commute … I would have loved that back in my working years.)
“I’m originally from central Illinois,” explains Bill. “I did a stint in the Air Force, and then 19 years working for a gas utility company. But I always had an interest in non-profit and charity work, which is how I made the Madison connection.
“I was on a local hospital board in Illinois, and this fundraising consulting firm came to town to help us out, led by Peter Woodburn and Wayne Kyle. They were based in Madison, as many folks will know. Anyway, I got to know Peter quite well during that time.
“ Not long after that hospital project I got a call from the Community Foundation in Madison, Indiana, of all places, and it turns out they were looking for a new director. Apparently Peter gave them my name and a recommendation. I came, I interviewed, and I got the job! Keep in mind now, I didn’t know a single thing about the town of Madison.
“So we moved here and right away I could feel the vibe is different, so much energy around arts and culture. So different from the small towns I was used to. I was surprised no one was talking about it more, it was so special. I guess local folks were just used to it. But I could feel it instantly, like the town was pulsing with creativity.
“So one of my first missions with the Foundation was getting involved in the art scene and seeing how we could help. We did a lot in the early days of the Madison Area Arts Alliance, getting that funded and up and running.
“My next mission was to start creating art myself. Madison is so supportive and encouraging. You get the feeling anybody can do it, you don’t need a degree in art, you just need to jump in and try. In 2017 Kim Nyberg dared me to do a couple paintings for the Farm to Table show, so that got me going. But I didn’t really keep it up after that.
“But then in 2019 I had a choking incident, really a near death experience. And it got me taking stock of what I was doing in my life … and what I was not doing. I was not painting enough, I decided. So that’s when I got serious and really devoted some time and energy into improving and growing as an artist. During Covid I painted one piece a week, and sold all 50 of them that year!
“They say you should paint what you love and know, and I’m really into birding, so half my paintings are birds. People seem to like them and most of my pieces sell. It’s so incredible to think about my art being enjoyed in someone else’s home. It’s a great feeling.
“My journey with art is just beginning. It’s like a discovery now with every new technique I try. I’ve been doing more things with the palette knife, exploring more realism, and changing up the color palette. If you’re an artist, really on any level of skill or training, Madison is the perfect place to be. You’ll find the support, the mentorship, and the outlets for displaying and selling your work. We couldn’t be happier!”
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